


Countdown

by Stonestrewn



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-29
Updated: 2013-06-29
Packaged: 2017-12-16 14:35:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/863118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stonestrewn/pseuds/Stonestrewn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kasumi is caught in the heist by spectre agent Ashley Williams. </p><p>There is no immediate arrest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Countdown

The discs are beautiful. The engravings have a delicate quality to them that is rarely seen in later Turian works – pre-spaceflight artisans seem to have taken their inspiration from nature rather than favoring the abstract. Kasumi thinks she prefers this. It is not as stern and imposing; this is art you can sit down and have a chat with.

She slides one disc into the specially made case, solid yet light weight inside with two thin slits made to measure. After taking the other disc out of the safe she lets it linger in her hands for a second of appreciation, tracing the gleaming edge with a finger, but the moment freezes into alarm when the door whirrs open behind her.

She spins around, braces for bullets, reaches for her gun, but there’s no impact and when she looks at her maybe-captor, it is Ashley Williams looking back. 

“Kasumi,” she says, and her voice is level despite the surprise on her face. Her gun is drawn, ready to fire. Kasumi stills the hand going for her own pistol and leaves her omnitool alone. The odds are not in her favor, and though there have been some exceptions she generally tries to avoid ventures doomed to fail.

Instead, she smiles.

“Hi, there. How’ve you been?”

The vault is small, cramped. Ashley is only a meter and a half away and Kasumi is just two steps from having her back up against the wall. She could cloak and try running for it, but the doorway isn’t very wide and, besides, she might not even make it that far. No one would miss a shot this close.

There was no spectre on the guard roster, nowhere in the lists of personnel, the blueprints of the storage facility didn’t have her marked. Kasumi has been meticulous in her research, this place demands it. The vaults and warehouses store the finest cultural treasures of the planet, the archives in one of the wings holds documents so secret they barely exist. It’s toted as the safest place on Palaven and she was looking forward to ruining that reputation. No accounting for the unaccountable, she supposes, but she has never been caught in the act like this before and she does not care for it one bit.

“That camera hiccup was so small it didn’t even really look like a glitch, I only checked because I was going this way. If I hadn’t no one would even-“ Ashley cuts herself off. Her expression changes from confused amazement (Kasumi would like to think there is a hint of admiration mixed in as well) to something stonier, all business. “I should have known.”

Kasumi shrugs.

“Not your fault I’m good.”

Ashley gestures with the gun, a commanding flick of the wrist towards the case.

 “Put those back. Now.”

The second disc is still in Kasumi’s hand, she has been gripping it just a little bit too tightly. The edge presses into her palm. The metal reflects the cold lighting from the ceiling, it stings in her eyes and she angles the disc away. She breathes in, fills her lungs to the brim.  

“These were used for rituals in a religion of moon worship that hasn’t had active practitioners in two millennia,” she says. She lifts the disc, scrutinizes it, starts to turn to the safe while her other hand sneaks towards the case, millimeter by millimeter. On the last syllable she goes for it, reaching behind her to slide the disc in the slot and clicking the case shut. All in within a tenth of a second, tops. She didn’t even know she could move that fast, but that’s adrenaline for you. Ashley calls out and takes a step forward; Kasumi takes a step back. She puts her hands above her head, a reminder that she has yet to draw.  Her heart beats fast, hard, but her head is cool and her smile widens. No shots fired. “Did you know they’re pure platinum?” she continues, keeps talking, tone light. “Not to mention an example of outstanding craftsmanship.”

“ _Not to mention_ protected by interplanetary heritage laws.”

“Well, I can’t just leave them here where absolutely no one gets to enjoy them. That would be the real crime,” Kasumi says. “And it’s not like you would let me go even if I did.”

 “Damn right I wouldn’t,” Ashley says. She is still aiming for Kasumi’s head. Not one for taking chances, relentless on the job.

But: no shots fired.

Kasumi wagers on lowering her arms a bit. She tilts her head.

“Of course, it’s not like you _couldn’t._ No one else has noticed, it would be easy to just… turn around.”

Ashley lets out this little huff of not-quite-a-laugh, like she would be amused if she wasn’t so offended.

 “Oh, yeah, like this is just a case of shoplifting. And you? You’re not one of the highest profile criminals in the entire galaxy.”

“Hey, I know what I am,” Kasumi says. “The real question here is who you are _._ ”

The reply comes without hesitation.

“Spectre agent Ashley Williams.”

“ _Or_ Ashley Williams of the Normandy.”

There goes a ripple over Ashley’s face, it’s small but it’s there and Kasumi allows the first sweetness of victory onto her tongue even though Ashley’s eyes immediately narrow.

“We were never on the ship at the same time.”

“Still. Both part of the flock, right?”

Ashley’s lips part slightly, there is anger in the lines around her mouth but something else in the quiver of her chin and Kasumi knows she has her now, this is where it all turns in her favor.  

“Dammit!” Ashley lowers her gun, tenser for it. “I’m going to count to ten. But that’s it, understood?”

She should be out the door already, but maybe she managed to sway even herself because Kasumi doesn’t cloak but takes her time, savoring every deliciously drawn out second, cramped space, drawn gun, eyes locked on Ashley’s slightly parted lips. The net may have loosened for now but there is only a small measure of mercy to be found in Ashley’s posture, in her straight back, strong shoulders, sure feet. She lives up to her title, exceeds her reputation. Formidable, whether friend or foe.

Kasumi stops mid-step just as she passes her, so close she can almost feel the other woman’s heat, so close that the riskiness of it crackles beneath her skin.

“This won’t end in a courtesy capture, you know.”

The glitter in Ashley’s eyes is already giving chase.

“I’m counting on that,” she says.  


End file.
